If Music Be the Food of Love
by LiveinLivingColor
Summary: Ten drabbles based on random songs, written for Obviously Insane's Ipod Challenge. Drabble 3 up!
1. Joyful, Joyful

A/N: Written for Obviously Insane's Ipod challenge. Enjoy drabble one!

**One: Joyful, Joyful by Kristin Chenoweth**

_**Joyful, joyful, we adore Thee  
God of glory, Lord of love  
Hearts unfold like flow'rs before Thee  
Opening to the sun above  
Melt the clouds of sin and sadness  
Drive the dark of doubt away  
Giver of immortal gladness  
Fill us with the light of day**_

All Thy works with joy surround Thee  
Earth and heav'n reflect Thy rays  
Stars and angels sing around Thee  
Center of unbroken praise  
Field and forest, vale and mountain  
Flow'ry meadow, flashing sea  
Chanting bird and flowing fountain  
Call us to rejoice in Thee

Thou art giving and forgiving  
Ever blessing, ever blessed  
Wellspring of the joy of living  
Ocean depth of happy rest  
Thou our Father, Christ our Brother  
All who live in love are Thine  
Teach us how to love each other  
Lift us to the joy divine

Amber had not gone to church in almost ten years.

She vaguely recalled making her first communion in second grade, her dress frilly and white and beautiful and her white patent leather shoes clicking on the tile floor of the aisle as she walked up to the altar. When her father was sent to jail six months later, Velma dragged her out of the church on Sunday, signed her up for dance lessons, and that was that.

Now, at eighteen, the Christmas lights twinkling outside and the snow falling in heavy, thick flakes around her, she noticed the church on the corner. The lights were on, she could see through the window, and she found herself wandering up the steps and peering in the frosted glass. She could see the choir up at the altar, their red robes shining in the candlelight as they sang in harmony.

Maybe, she thought, she could repent her sins. Get away from the vicious, hurtful person she had become and was ashamed to be. But she didn't know how, didn't know what she could do to make up for all of the pain she had caused people in the past few years. How could she make up for all the insults and all of the glares and public humiliation?

She found herself opening the heavy wooden door and tiptoeing inside, scanning the pews. The church was absolutely packed, full of people who had come for the annual Christmas Eve service. Penny Pingleton and her ultra-religious mother were sitting in one of the first rows. She could spot Link and his family in the middle, and was partially glad that he hadn't seen her. A row behind Link was Seaweed, Inez and Maybelle, and she felt even more guilty for what she'd done. She decided that maybe she could just sneak into one of the back rows and no one would notice she had arrived.

The congregation was now singing along, and she slithered into the back pew quickly to avoid being noticed. She glanced to her right to see who was sitting next to her and spotted Tracy Turnblad, alongside her mother and father, singing out of the hymnal.

Amber froze. This was not at all what she'd planned. She wasn't a churchgoing person in the first place, and the person she was most sorry to was sitting right next to her. She couldn't possibly ask God to forgive her if Tracy hadn't, could she?

She was trying to figure out a way to sneak back out when she felt a hand tap at her shoulder. Tracy flashed her a smile and held out her hymnal, pointing to the line they were on. Amber managed to smile back, relief flooding her.

She debated. What if her mother saw her here, sitting with the Turnblads? It was unlikely, she reasoned, as Velma had gone to spend Christmas Eve with her new boyfriend, leaving Amber home alone with reheated soup and a weak, tiny Christmas tree.

She scooted over to read the book Tracy held out to share with her, singing along. She scanned her eyes over the congregation, her eyes landing briefly on Seaweed, Maybelle, Inez, Link, and Penny, and she let her voice echo in the church, sending mental apologies to each one as she felt herself being forgiven.

_**Mortals, join the mighty chorus  
Which the morning stars began  
Love devine is reigning o'er us  
Binding all within its span  
Ever singing, march we onward  
Victors in the midst of strife  
Joyful music leads us onward  
In the triumph song of life**_

Joyful joyful Lord of life.


	2. What is This Feeling?

A/N: Drabble number two, which is about Amber and Tracy. Well, more like Amber directed at Tracy.

Shout Out: Thanks so much to the reviewers (so far) of chapter one. hippogriff-tamer, LazyChestnut, Crispy Hobbit, and writergirl2003, you guys are awesome.

**Two: What is This Feeling? By the Wicked OBC**

_**What is this feeling, so sudden and new?**_

_**I felt the moment I laid eyes on you**_

_**My pulse is rushing, my head is reeling**_

_**My face is flushing,**_

_**What is this feeling? **_

_**Fervent as a flame, does it have a name?**_

_**Yes,**_

_**Loathing, unadulterated loathing!**_

_**For your face, your voice, your clothing,**_

_**Let's just say**_

_**I loathe it all!**_

Amber Von Tussle had been bred to hate.

She had been taught at the age of eight that anyone who got in her way was the enemy and the way to beat them out was to hurl insults at them to get ahead. She kept her "friends" at a distance- Lou Ann, Shelley and Tammy all idolized her from the first rehearsal of the Corny Collins show, and she used them for popularity rather than for actual companionship. On the first night of the show taping, she had been invited to a party at Shelley's house, and when she asked permission to go, Velma smirked back at her.

"Good, Amber, you should go."

Amber relished for a moment in the thought that her mother wanted her to be happy when Velma continued.

"This is a perfect way to get ammunition. Figure out their weaknesses, and use it to become the best."

Amber knew, at that point, that she would never have real friends. She would have acquaintances; a posse that would follow her orders and help her succeed. She would be the most featured dancer on the show and they wouldn't protest, because they were popular by association and no one would give up that status.

When Tracy Turnblad was offered a spot on the show, Amber felt like she had been punched. She _hated_ Tracy, loathed every fiber of her being. She hated her for the things she refused to admit- she was a better dancer than Amber was, Link liked Tracy more than he had ever claimed to love Amber, and Tracy had friends. Loyal, genuine friends that liked her for who she was and not who her mother made her out to be.

She watched Tracy standing on the side of the set with her best friend Penny and that boy- was Seaweed his name- at her side and saw Link walking over, his classic heart melting smile on his face.

"Link!" she huffed under her breath, "What are you _doing_?"

She turned on her heel and stalked off, joining the clump that Shelley, Lou Ann and Tammy had formed and began her streak of Tracy's flaws, from her weight to her dancing to her (untrue) stupidity. The four glanced over at Tracy and her friends, smug grins on their faces, and when the rest of the girls turned back around, Amber kept staring.

More than anything, she wanted friends who would support her the way that Penny, Seaweed and Link supported Tracy, and although she would never in a million years admit it, she wished that she could be standing in that circle.

_**Every little trait however small, **_

_**Makes my very flesh begin to crawl,**_

_**With simple utter loathing,**_

_**There's a strange exhilaration**_

_**In such total detestation,**_

_**It's so pure, so strong!**_

_**Though I do admit it came on fast,**_

_**Still I do believe that it can last**_

_**And I will be loathing, loathing you**_

_**My whole life long!**_


	3. Somewhere Only We Know

A/N: I'm finally updating

A/N: I'm finally updating! Here's the third installment.

Lyrics are from "Somewhere Only We Know" by Keane. I'm not sure how I feel about this one yet, so let me know. 

_I walked across an empty land  
I knew the pathway like the back of my hand  
I felt the earth beneath my feet  
Sat by the river and it made me complete_

Oh simple thing where have you gone  
I'm getting old and I need something to rely on  
So tell me when you're gonna let me in  
I'm getting tired and I need somewhere to begin

I came across a fallen tree  
I felt the branches of it looking at me  
Is this the place we used to love?  
Is this the place that I've been dreaming of?

Oh simple thing where have you gone  
I'm getting old and I need something to rely on  
So tell me when you're gonna let me in  
I'm getting tired and I need somewhere to begin

And if you have a minute why don't we go  
Talk about it somewhere only we know?  
This could be the end of everything  
So why don't we go  
Somewhere only we know?

Penny had always been strong. Whether it be her mother's criticisms or the ridicule by her classmates, she'd been able to have a thick skin, been able to push away everything they said to her. She'd thought, when she and Seaweed had found each other, that they would make it through no matter what anyone else thought. No matter what society thought they should be, Penny thought that they would pull through together.

But as he walked her home one evening in the rain, she stopped suddenly, her eyes focused on her house. On the sidewalk in front of her lawn, a hate message was written in red spray paint that dripped and streaked on the pavement with the raindrops. Seaweed came up behind her, placing a hand on her shoulder, but she shrugged him off, turning away from the loud, red writing.

"Baby…" he began, trying to take her hand, but she cut him off and pulled away.

"No. Seaweed, we can't…this shouldn't have happened. I thought we could do this, but…."

"Penny, what are you talking about? You're going to let what one person thinks get to you?"

"But that's just it! This isn't what one person thinks, this is what everyone thinks!" she exclaimed, tears starting to form in her eyes.

"What are you saying? You don't want to be with me because _society_ says we shouldn't be?"

"No!"

"Then what do you mean? God, I thought we were in this together. I thought we were going to fight against this. But if you care all that much about what other people think, I guess I'm going to just walk away."

"Seaweed, no!" she cried, pulling him back to her, "That's not it! I don't care what anyone else thinks!"

"Then what," he asked, his voice softer, "do you mean?"

She sighed, the tears starting to stream down her cheeks, "I don't want them to hurt you."

"What?"

"Look at this!" she shouted, gesturing to the stained sidewalk angrily, "_No one_ accepts us! And what if this is just the beginning? They're going to go after you, Seaweed. Eventually, they're going to find a way to put a stop to us."

He shook his head, "I thought we were stronger than that. I thought we could make it through whatever they did to us. But I guess I was wrong. I guess…you're not who I thought you were."

He started to walk away, his jacket soaking through.

"No! Seaweed, that's not what I meant! I…" she trailed off when he didn't look back, "I love you."

XXX

A few hours later, the storm escalating, Seaweed sat in his room staring out the window. He couldn't sleep, not with his conversation with Penny on his mind.

He loved her, more than he'd ever loved anyone, but if she couldn't get past what society thought of them, how were they supposed to last? He wanted to tell her that it would all be okay, that everyone would get over it someday, but he couldn't guarantee that. He flopped back onto his bed angrily when he heard a knock at the door. He checked his watch- three AM- and hurried to answer it before his mother or Inez heard it.

She was standing on his front step, dripping, the tears on her face blending in with the rain.

"I'm sorry." She managed, "I'm so sorry. I never meant to hurt you. I just…I love you so much, and I can't let them go after you."

"Penny…" he sighed, pulling her inside and shutting the door behind her, "We can't change what everyone thinks. We can't make them accept us. But we can't let them dictate our lives, either."

"I know, it's just…" she sighed, falling back onto the couch, "I wish it was easier. I wish there was somewhere we could go where no one would glare at us, or insult us, or spray paint messages on our houses. Do we really have to live like this forever?"

"I…I don't know, baby. I don't know how long this is going to go on. But we have to be strong about it. They can't get to us if we don't let them."

She looked up at him when he sat next to her, draping an arm around her shoulders.

"We'll get to that place, someday." He whispered, pressing a kiss to her wet forehead, "I promise."

She nestled into his arms and they sat together, dreaming of a place where they could be who they were without judgment, as the rain streaked the windows and washed away the hate from the sidewalk.

_Oh simple thing where have you gone  
I'm getting old and I need something to rely on  
So tell me when you're gonna let me in  
I'm getting tired and I need somewhere to begin_

So if you have a minute why don't we go  
Talk about it somewhere only we know?  
This could be the end of everything  
So why don't we go  
So why don't we go

This could be the end of everything  
So why don't we go  
Somewhere only we know?


End file.
